BEDMINSTER, N.J., and DUBLIN, Ireland, Sept. 25, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Amarin Corporation plc (Nasdaq: AMRN ), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the commercialization and development of therapeutics to improve cardiovascular health, announced today that the number of patients enrolled in the company's REDUCE-IT cardiovascular outcomes study of Vascepa ® (icosapent ethyl) capsules has surpassed 6,000.
The REDUCE-IT (Reduction of Cardiovascular Events with EPA - Intervention Trial) study is a multinational, prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study taking place at over 400 clinical sites in 11 countries to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Vascepa ® (icosapent ethyl) capsules, as an adjunct to optimized statin therapy, in reducing the incidence of first major cardiovascular events in a patient population at high risk for such events. The control arm of the study consists of patients on optimized statin therapy plus placebo. The active arm of the study consists of patients on optimized statin therapy plus Vascepa 4g/day. The high-risk patient population in REDUCE-IT has both a mean and median baseline triglyceride (TG) level over 200 mg/dL, a level substantially above those from recently conducted outcomes trials of other prescription lipid modifying therapies. Furthermore, Amarin has taken steps to ensure that the final baseline TG levels remain above 200 mg/dL. In addition, all patients enrolled in the study have either documented cardiovascular disease (CVD) or are at high-risk for CVD.
The REDUCE-IT study is being conducted under Amarin's previously announced Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). An SPA agreement is an agreement with the FDA that the Phase 3 trial protocol design, clinical endpoints, and planned statistical analyses are acceptable to support regulatory approval. An SPA agreement is generally considered binding upon the FDA unless public health concerns unrecognized at the time of protocol assessment are evident.
"Reaching the 6,000 patient mark in the REDUCE-IT trial represents significant progress toward full enrollment and another significant highlight for Amarin in 2013," said Joseph Zakrzewski, Amarin's Chairman and CEO. "The results of REDUCE-IT may enable us to seek additional indications for Vascepa including cardiovascular risk reduction, which would represent a patient population estimated to be almost twice that of the combined indications studied in the MARINE and ANCHOR trials or approximately 70 million adults in the United States alone."
About Vascepa ® (icosapent ethyl) capsules
Vascepa ® (icosapent ethyl) capsules, known in scientific literature as AMR101, is a patented, pure-EPA omega-3 prescription product in a 1 gram capsule.
Indications and Usage
- Vascepa (icosapent ethyl) is indicated as an adjunct to diet to reduce triglyceride (TG) levels in adult patients with severe (≥500 mg/dL) hypertriglyceridemia.
- The effect of Vascepa on the risk for pancreatitis and cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia has not been determined.
Important Safety Information for Vascepa
- Vascepa is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity (e.g., anaphylactic reaction) to Vascepa or any of its components and should be used with caution in patients with known hypersensitivity to fish and/or shellfish.
- The most common reported adverse reaction (incidence > 2% and greater than placebo) was arthralgia (2.3% for Vascepa, 1.0% for placebo).
FULL VASCEPA PRESCRIBING INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.VASCEPA.COM
Vascepa is under various stages of development for potential use in indications that have not been approved by the FDA, such as the potential indications that are under development in the REDUCE-IT trial. Nothing in this press release should be construed as promoting the use of Vascepa in any indication that has not been approved by the FDA.
About Amarin
Amarin Corporation plc is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the commercialization and development of therapeutics to improve cardiovascular health. Amarin's product development program leverages its extensive experience in lipid science and the potential therapeutic benefits of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Vascepa ® (icosapent ethyl), Amarin's first FDA approved product, is a patented, ultra pure omega-3 fatty acid product comprising not less than 96% EPA. For more information about Vascepa visit www.vascepa.com . For more information about Amarin visit www.amarincorp.com .
Forward-looking statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements about, Amarin's ability to seek additional indications based on the results of the study and the size of the potential patient population represented by such potential indication, clinical trial results, the utility of an SPA agreement and the likelihood of regulatory submissions and approvals. These forward-looking statements are not promises or guarantees and involve substantial risks and uncertainties. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described or projected herein include uncertainties associated generally with the rate and continued success with patient enrollment, continued study execution, reliance on third parties conducting the study, the rate of cardiovascular events contemplated within the study design, and risks associated generally with research and development, clinical trials, related regulatory submissions and approvals and estimation of patient populations. A further list and description of these risks, uncertainties and other risks associated with an investment in Amarin can be found in Amarin's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Amarin undertakes no obligation to update or revise the information contained in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances or otherwise.
Availability of other information about Amarin
Investors and others should note that we communicate with our investors and the public using our company website ( www.amarincorp.com ), our investor relations website ( http://www.amarincorp.com/investor-splash.html ), including but not limited to investor presentations and investor FAQs, Securities and Exchange Commission filings, press releases, public conference calls and webcasts. The information that we post on these channels and websites could be deemed to be material information. As a result, we encourage investors, the media, and others interested in Amarin to review the information that we post on these channels, including our investor relations website, on a regular basis. This list of channels may be updated from time to time on our investor relations website and may include social media channels. The contents of our website or these channels, or any other website that may be accessed from our website or these channels, shall not be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933.
Joseph Bruno Investor Relations and Corporate Communications Amarin Corporation In U.S.: +1 (908) 719-1315
